I Bruise Easily
by CelticPrincessx3
Summary: Ashley is left with a broken and bruised heart after a bad breakup. Hoping to help her move on her friend sets her up on a blind date with someone from her past. What will the outcome be? Edge/Ashley/Jeff. Oneshot.


A/N: I've been wanting to write a oneshot, and I've been dying to write with this couple. . .so why not do it all in one right? This is just for fun, something a little different. Enjoy =)

Disclaimer: I do not own Edge, Ashley Massaro, Jeff Hardy, Miz or Maria

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><p><strong>I Bruise Easily <strong>

_I bruise easily So be gentle when you handle me There's a mark you leave Like a love heart carved on a tree I bruise easily Can't scratch the surface Without moving me underneath I bruise easily I bruise easily . . . _

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><p>Ashley Massaro walked, arm in arm, with her best friend, Maria Kannelis. As odd a pair the duo might appear they had become close working together in the WWE. Ashley swung the multitude of colored plastic shopping bags she was holding in her free hand as they walked back to Maria's car. Ashley had to admit she hadn't felt this good in a long time. The rocker had spent the last few months in a rather dark place, dealing with a host of letdowns and heartbreaks.<p>

"Hey, Ash, I know this is going to sound crazy but Mike and I had this idea." Her bubbly red-headed friend said as she opened the trunk to her black convertible with the small hand-held remote.

Ashley threw her bags in the back and looked at Maria quizzically. Mike, Maria's boyfriend of almost a year, was not that fond of his girlfriend's comrade. Maria and Mike had met in the WWE just liked Ashley and Adam.

She shuddered inwardly at the thought of her ex-boyfriend's name. She slammed the trunk closed and told herself to put it out of her mind. She didn't need to visit that place again. "What were you and the Miz planning?" she asked, smiling as she used Maria's boyfriend's wrestling name. She slid into the passenger seat and slammed the door shut, just as Maria was climbing into the driver's side.

"I know you were really upset when things didn't work out with Adam, and I know you are probably still upset. . ." The redhead began as she slid the key into the ignition and started the car.

"Please Maria, I don't want to talk about _him_ he made his choice and it is his loss" Ashley said, putting on her best 'I am strong and I'm moving on' charade; when, in reality, her heart was pounding and she felt all the pain coming back. It was all coming flooding back and she was going to drown in the pain.

"I'm sorry." Maria said, as she pulled the car out of the parking lot and into the busy afternoon traffic. "What I was trying to get at is Mike and I think it would be good if you tied to move on. We know this really great guy, well you know him too, but we think you two will really hit it off. We told him you guys would have dinner tonight." Maria said, keeping her green eyes on the road.

Ashley stared at her friend, mouth agape. She didn't know whether to be surprised, grateful, offended or just downright angry. After a moment she decided that anger over ruled the other emotions and now she looked at her friend, eyes flashing. "What the hell were you thinking Maria! If I wanted to date someone than I would be dating someone; I _DON'T _need you and Mike setting me up on blind dates with random people!" Ashley yelled.

Maria didn't say anything for a moment she just continued driving. Then, after what seemed like an eternity to the seething blonde the redhead smiled and glanced at her. "Relax Ashley. We're just trying to help. We care and we want to see you happy. He is not a random person; we really think you two will be good for each other. Please just go and if you don't enjoy yourself than we will never do it again, okay?"

Ashley shook her head. What was Maria thinking? She hadn't even asked her if she was ready to try dating again before setting her up on some sort of blind date! Blind dates never work anyway, well, at least, she had never heard of one that was successful. She turned her blue-green eyes to her friend, narrowing them "No, I absolutely will not do this." She said. There was no way she was going to admit to her friend that she was not ready to move. She didn't want to get hurt again. She didn't want to feel the pain that Adam had made her feel.

"Why not? It's just one date, I promise if you don't like him or you don't have a good time you never have to see him again." Maria said as she pulled into the parking lot belonging to the apartment building Ashley lived in. She pulled into a parking space close to the doors and then, finally, brought her green eyes to rest on her friend.

Ashley looked at her friend, "No, absolutely not Maria. I'm sorry, I know you were trying to help but I can't do it." Ashley said, getting out of the car.

She heard the trunk pop open as Maria hit the switch. It was also hard not to hear the sigh her friend emitted when Ashley denied her offer again. The Blonde ignored her friend's non-verbal protest and quickly grabbed her shopping bags out of the trunk and closed it. She walked around to the driver's side window and forced a smile for Maria. "Thanks so much for the girls day Maria I needed it." She said.

Maria gave her a smile and nodded. "Thank you Ash. I'm sorry if I upset you. You don't have to go on this date. . ." the redhead quickly seized a piece of paper and a pen from her handbag and wrote something. She handed it to Ashley, "Here is his number, if you don't want to go you can call and cancel. If not, the dinner is at six at your favorite."

"Thanks Maria" Ashley took the paper and tucked it in the pocket of her low-rise jeans, deciding that as soon as she walked through her front door she would call and cancel.

~|x|~

Ashley stood in front of the floor length mirror, her blonde and black locks clipped up in a messy bun with chunks of hair falling down and framing her face. She ran her fingers down the front of her dress, smoothing out the black fabric. She could kill Maria. Ashley had picked up the phone multiple times since she came home; planning to call her date and cancel but she just couldn't do it. She rolled her eyes, knowing Maria had known Ashley wouldn't be able to call; she didn't want to upset whoever it was she would be seeing. It was just the way she was; she didn't like hurting others. She now realized Maria had used that personality trait against her.

As she stood in front of the mirror her mind drifted back to the day Adam broke her heart, leaving her a bruised and battered shell of her former, fun-loving, self.

"_Ashley! Unlock this damn door right now!" _

"_NO!" She choked back the tears as she screamed at him. "How could you do this to me?" _

"_You're over-reacting. It was a one-time thing babe. I told you I was sorry." He pounded his fist against the door. "Let me in Ash!" _

"_It was just one time? Just one time, like all of those other times were just one-time things right?" she leaned against the door, the tears flowing down her face. She knew she should have left the last time, or the time before that, but she loved him and she wanted to make it work. Unfortunately, he didn't have that same commitment; he didn't want to be a one-woman man. _

"_C'mon Babe, you know they mean nothing to me, I always come home to you, don't I?" _

"_Well, from now on you can go home to someone else because I'm sick of this Adam, get out and never come back!" She opened the door and slapped him as hard as she could across his face. _

"_Fine" he glared at her, his hand on his jaw. "You're not worth my time anyway" he turned and walked away. _

_Than the cold set over Ashley, she couldn't even make him love her. She had mean nothing to him. . ._

She looked at the clock on the wall, it was five-thirty. She knew it was time for her to head to the restaurant. She planned on just going and having dinner, she didn't have to see this man again, she would go and be kind and then she could go home and it would all be over with. She sighed and gave her reflection a reassuring look before grabbing her black studded hand bag, which matched her black studded boots, and walked out of the apartment.

She walked down the hall and down the flight of stairs to the first story. She quickly walked out to the car, hoping no one she knew noticed her, and left for the restaurant.

~|x|~

Jeff tapped his foot anxiously waiting for Ashley to show up. He had this feeling that she was going to stand him up. Could he blame her? He didn't deserve a girl like Ashley Massaro anyway. Regardless of the unrequited feelings he had for her for some time he didn't want to be there. He quickly glanced toward the door, in search of the beautiful blonde rocker he had fallen for years ago.

He couldn't blame her for not showing up. She could have anyone she wanted, why would she pick someone like him.

He was just about to leave when he spotted her. She looked gorgeous as always. Her blonde and black locks were tied up with a clip and she was wearing a flattering black dress. He watched her walking through the room in search of him.

Maria and Mike hadn't told her who they were setting her up with? What if she was disappointed when she found out it was him. He thought about ignoring her unless she came and talked to him, but then she would think she had been stood up and he didn't want her to think that. Who in their right mind would give up the chance to have dinner with Ashley Massaro?

When he got the nerve to stand he waved his hand to her. She spotted him and he let out a sigh of relief when she smiled. She walked over to him and hugged him. "Jeff, wow; how are you?"

He pulled her chair out for her. "I'm alright, how are you Ashley?" he sat back down once she was seated and watched the blonde intently.

"I'm doing well." She flattened the skirt of her dress with her palms before looking at him, a slight smile turning up the corners of her light pink colored lips.

"You look absolutely gorgeous Ashley." It was true. She didn't look different than the last time he had spoken to her. The day before WWE released her from her contract, he missed seeing her every day, in his eyes, no one compared to Ashley Massaro.

But she had been dating Edge and he was with his girlfriend. Needless to say that hadn't worked out, the second he had to go to rehab she was gone, leaving him to get through his trials on his own.

"Thank you" She seemed tense. He felt the disappointment growing inside of him, even though she had looked happy to see him it was becoming clear she wasn't comfortable.

"Ash, we don't have to do this if you are uncomfortable. I know we were close friends when we were with WWE and it might be a little awkward. . ."

"No, Jeff, let's have a nice dinner. I'm okay. "

"Are you sure. . .you seem tense?"

"It has nothing to do with you Jeff." She assured him. "It is great seeing you. I can't believe we lost contact."

"Well, I didn't keep in touch with anyone really. I just recently got in touch with Maria again. Mike and Maria, can you believe that?" he said smiling. He was good friends with the red head, of all the people he thought she could end up with, Mike would have been his last choice. It didn't matter though she seemed happy.

Ashley laughed. "I know, I always thought she was going to marry Phil, but I guess you never really know what's going to happy, you know?"

"Yea, trust me I know." He closed his menu and looked at her. "I never thought I'd be sitting here on a date with you. And trust me, I couldn't be happier."

He smiled as her cheeks turned a light pink that matched the lipstick she was wearing. It was rare for the blonde to blush and he was proud he had had been able to provoke such a reaction from her.

Maybe this date wasn't going to be so bad after all . . .

~|x|~

Ashley had to admit, she hadn't had that much fun in a long time. As she walked out of the resteraunt, Jeff's arm lightly wrapped around her waist, she felt the urge to turn around and kiss him just because she felt free. That thought frightened her.

"Ashley I had an amazing time with you tonight, maybe Mike and Maria weren't crazy for setting up this date." He said as he hailed her a cab and held the door open for her.

Ashley's heart was fluttering. Was he going to ask her out again? More importantly was she even thinking of saying yes.

_No, Ashley, don't give him that power; he'll only hurt you. . . Just like Adam hurt you. _

"Jeff, I had a great time too but . . ."

The hurt in his green eyes made her want to cringe. She didn't want to hurt Jeff, if things had been different, and this had happened a few years ago, she would have jumped at the chance to date him. Now, she was just too scared, too scarred. She wasn't going to put her heart on the line again, not now, not ever.

"It's okay Ashley, I hope we can at least keep in touch" he said, trying to hide the hurt, but Ashley knew him better than that

"Of course we can. Jeff, it's not you really. It's me, I don't want to be in a relationship now. . .I don't think I want to be in one again. You are a great guy and you deserve a great girl, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings." She lightly brushed her lips against his cheek before sliding into the cab.

Jeff closed the door and smiled at her before turning and beginning to walk in the opposite direction. She watched him walk away in the rearview mirror and her heart ached. How could that be, it was one date and now she had called it off and she was hurt. Was she ever going to be able to live without the pain?

When had she become so self-absorbed? Yes she was hurting but she knew deep down she was lucky, she had a great life, good friends who loved her.

And the man of her dreams was walking away from her because she turned him down . . .

He had been ready and willing to go out with her again. Commitment wasn't something Jeff feared, she knew that.

"Stop this Car!" she yelled at the driver, who slammed on the brakes his eyes wide with horror.

"Are you okay Miss?"

She ignored him and pushed the door open and ran after Jeff.

"Jeff!" she caught up with him as he was turning the block. She seized his arm.

"Ash, what are you doing?" he asked, looking at her with confused eyes.

"I'm sorry. I want to see you again. . .I need to." She said, she was aware of the tears forming in her green-blue eyes but she didn't care.

"Really?" he asked, shocked. "but I thought you said you weren't interested in dating."

"I was wrong. I'm just. . . It's just things didn't go so well with Edge."

The fury that appeared in Jeff's eyes shocked the blonde "Did he hurt you Ash, if he even laid a finger on you I will kill him."

The seriousness in his tone made her giggle. He gave her a disapproving look. "No, it's just. He really hurt me, he cheated on me. I guess I'm afraid it will happen again."

Jeff smiled and pulled her into a kiss, than held her, his arms around her slender waist. "Ashley Massaro, I adore you. I have loved you for so long I can't imagine wanting anyone else. "

Ashley felt the heat rise in her cheeks but she smiled. How could a man make her feel this way? She smiled and pressed her lips against his.

Ashley may be bruised, but she was sure Jeff Hardy would be gentle with her heart.

~|X|~

_**Anyone who can touch you  
>Can hurt you or heal you<br>Anyone who can reach you  
>Can love you or leave you<br>So be gentle...**_

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><p><strong>AN: Thats it. I hope you enjoyed it **

_reviews please, they really do mean a lot and make me smie : )_

_if you want to follow me on twitter for updates/news about my stories its xSxFlawless _


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